A man hired by European tech firm Deel to infiltrate its American rival, Rippling, has confessed in a dramatic affidavit, admitting he was paid to spy while still employed at the competitor's company.
Keith O'Brien worked for the U.S.-based HR tech company Rippling while allegedly operating as an inside informant for Deel, a European competitor, Newcomer reported.
According to a sworn affidavit filed in an Irish court, O'Brien was recruited by Deel's CEO, Alex Bouaziz, who offered monetary compensation in exchange for confidential business information. The covert relationship, which reportedly began months earlier, included encrypted Telegram chats, monthly payments, and clandestine instructions on how to cover his tracks.
In the affidavit, O'Brien describes direct involvement from Deel's top leadership—including CEO Alex Bouaziz and CFO Philippe Bouaziz—in orchestrating the corporate espionage. Communications allegedly took place daily, even on weekends, and O'Brien received payments, including a $6,000 bonus in November 2024, for delivering sensitive data.
When suspicion arose at Rippling, Deel's legal team allegedly instructed O'Brien to destroy his phone with an axe and dispose of it in a drain. They reportedly offered to relocate him to Dubai with his family.
The details of the elaborate scheme were exposed after O'Brien decided to confess and cooperate with Rippling's legal team. Rippling has filed a lawsuit against Deel over the alleged espionage.
Deel has not yet commented publicly on the matter. O'Brien, meanwhile, says he acted out of fear and pressure, but is now seeking redemption by revealing the full scope of the plot.
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